Gero Onsen was called one of the “Three Famous Hot Springs” in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) along with Kusatsu Onsen and Arima Onsen as Hida no Yushima (Gero Onsen’s name at that time was Yushima),
Since the Edo period, it has been called one of the “Three Famous Springs of Japan” (the three most famous springs in Japan), and has a history of 1,000 years.
Surrounded by mountains, the area is lined with inns and hotels mainly along the Hida River from Gero Station and extends to the mountainside.
The spring is a simple alkaline hot spring, and its clear, colorless water feels smooth on the skin.
It has a smooth texture and a high pH value of 9.18. It is also called “beauty water” because it is expected to remove dead skin cells and make your skin smooth and silky.
The "Yumeguri Handbill," which allows visitors to tour the hot springs, allows them to use three of the participating ryokan.
The bill is for one-day use only and is valid for six months, so if you don't use it up, you can use it the next time you come back.
There are also 10 footbath spots in the hot spring resort area, so soak in the different flavors of hot spring water and enjoy Gero Onsen to the fullest.
Fusenchi, an open-air bath on the banks of the Hida River, is a free and easy place to take a bath.
It is 6.5 meters long and 5 meters wide, and is shared by both men and women.
Since its installation in 1983, it has become a tourist attraction.
Because it is located on a riverbed, it is often flooded by rain and sediment, and has been washed away many times, but it has been restored each time and has been loved by tourists and residents alike.
Swimsuits have been worn since 2010, and from 2021, the footbath will be for footbathers only.
Gero Onsen (Gero Hot Springs) began about 1,000 years ago when a hot spring gushed out near the summit of Yugamine (1,067 meters), located to the east of the current hot spring resort.
In 1265, the spring stopped gushing from the summit, and when the villagers were troubled, an egret landed on the Hida River, where the hot water gushed out.
In the mountain where the egret flew away, a statue of Yakushi Nyorai (the Medicine Buddha) was enshrined.
Onsenji Temple was founded to enshrine the Yakushi Nyorai statue.
Hot spring water flows from beneath the statue of Yakushi Nyorai in front of the main hall on the temple grounds and is considered to be a sacred spring.
This is why the egret has become the symbol of Gero Onsen.
In the hot spring resort area, there is a shrine called Kaeru Shrine, where you can see frogs in the stone lantern windows, in the water closet, and in the shrine pavilions.
The shrine's name is a pun on the sound of frogs and the word "Gero", which means "to return home safely", and the shrine's humor is sure to bring good luck.
The statue of Chaplin sitting on the Shirasagi Bridge.
It has become a popular spot for commemorative photos of the two of you with the statue of Chaplin in front of you.
As a symbol of peace, the statue was commissioned to be made by an artist from Hollywood.
Hoba miso is a homemade miso topped with green onions and other condiments, shiitake mushrooms, and other wild vegetables and mushrooms, then baked and served over rice.
Chicken Chicken is made by cutting chicken meat into bite-sized pieces, seasoning it with garlic and ginger in a homemade miso and soy sauce base, and grilling it.
Train:
Walk from Gero Station on the JR Takayama Main Line
Bus:
Gero Onsen direct bus” runs daily from JR Nagoya Station to the bus center in front of Gero Station (one round trip per day).
Car:
From Chuo Expressway/Nakatsugawa IC, drive about 52 km via Route 257 and 41.
From Tokai Kanjo Expressway/Fukaseki IC, approx. 35 km via Prefectural Road 58, turn left at Ijiri intersection, and drive approx. 28 km via National Road 41.